Hey chickies,

Welcome to the new folks.

Derry, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad - my prayers go to you. My brother had bone cancer so I know how you feel. Be strong for him - at least when you are around him. And it's ok to cry too. :grouphug:

Raven, it's good to see you again tho it's pretty late and you're still on the site - still getting up so early in the morning? I'm afraid I don't have any answers for the cooking if you hate to cook and shop and clean up - usually you have to give in to one, yah know? ;) Can BF fire up the grill when you're on your way home? Grilled fish, lean pork chops or chicken, a salad or cut veggies and some fresh fruit and you've hit all the food groups. Easy to prepare and low fat. Grill up some extra chicken, slice cold the next day over a salad - remember that fabulous Carribean Chicken salad that you liked at Chili's was it? That's not too hard to make. Maybe you can convince your daughter that she has an untapped talent as an excellent cook????

Good luck with the running program Jolly, it's good to hear that you're getting into it again. Like Tanzie it was a great weekend out this way and we did alot of digging, cleaning and planting in the garden ourselves. I really felt it this morning when I woke up. Ouch!

Ok, I walked away to take care of a load of laundry and here it is 2 hours later and way past bedtime. Going to be a loooonnnngggg day tomorrow. Better leave now and get some shut eye in. Hellos to everyone I didn't get to yet, will catch up tomorrow. Make it a good one...

Hi guys, haven't read all your posts, will be back later on today. Have to run a huge errand and I kind of blew it all weekend and took time off from everything.
Linda

Heh guys, sorry I can't post. Just have no time and haven't been doing anything that warrants a post here anyhow! :cry: meaning I've been eating and not exercising. Raven, very glad to have you back. I'm checking at coolrunning. Had never heard of it. Looks like fun. I may do that program too just to get back into the swing of things. Thanks for the tip! OK, can't write now. Just wanted to say Hi to everyone. Best of luck. I'll be back. . . :wave:

Hey all. Payroll Monday here - fun, fun, fun. I did make it to the gym this morning - though did not get much of a workout in. I am so overtired, and not feeling the greatest. But, I figure some workout is better than none. Right?

I am glad you will be joining me, RAven. I have to find the money for decent shoes, but figure what I have will work for now. I am doing more walking than running anyway. But soon.

I am glad it was such a beautiful weekend, and sounds like people were able to enjoy. One step at a time, everyone.

Oh yeah, Raven. What I found works for me is making a menu. I look at what I am doing when, and plan meals around the amount of time I have to cook. Do bigger meals on the weekend when I have time, freeze stuff, etc. It helps me to know what I am making, instead of having to "decide." The chicken breast/salad thing is a good idea. A lot of stuff you can microwave. Check out microwave or slow cooker cook books at your library.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Hey chicks,

The morning is easin' on by.. and here I sit. :P I'm attempting to put our finances in order and have only manged to waste a bit of time surfing.
Goodnews is that I walked this morning-- and yesterday. Foodwise, things went OK.. no seconds and I kept my portions reasonable. We weighed yesterday, and I'm back down 2 pounds, which is good. It would be greater if I hadn't put back on the five I lost earlier in the year!

Still thinking about you and yours Derry. I hope all is going well.

I can totally empathize Happy-- funny how putting a few greens, flowers, shrubs (take your pick) will put the hurt on you in places a regular workout won't touch!

So sorry to hear about your puppy, Raven. Those fuzzy little heathens have a way of crawling right into our hearts and then leaving big holes when they go... Give Ursa extra cuddles. It'll do you both good.

Hey, jolly- like Red, I took a peek at the coolrunnings site. Looks good. Even I 'm tempted by their 'couch to 5k' program. I've never been much of a runner though.. darn fallen arches. Perhaps if I worked my way slowly up... who knows. Anyway, goodluck with it!

Laters,

My mom decided to scare us and visited the emergency room last night. She had a stoke a few years ago and since then she occasionally has seziures. This sounds like it was not a full blown one, her care taker was being precaucious, which I am grateful for. Anyway, she was only there for a few hours and they sent her home. Today she seems to be fine. We'll visit her later.
Yesterday was not a great diet day, because I did some stress eating. . But I did go to the store and I resisted the beer. Milestone. Although I could have really used one last night. I'm going to check out cool runners too.
Got to run & pick up my son from school. Later!

Tanzie, jolly, Apple, hi there. Trying to decide whether to get to the stable of stay home and do the piles of work. I need some time to regroup, I think, think about how I'm going to try to move toward my goals.

Apple, I hope your mother is OK and that this was nothing. My father had a heart attack just a week or so ago, the same thing, only in the hospital a day, tests showed no need for surgery, scary though and it reminds us all of our mortality. Live while you're here. Enjoy the people you know in your life while you can.

Take care, all! :wave:

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Hi guys!
What a busy day I had. We now officially own our own business. I went to the state house in NH (Concord) today and filed all the necessary paperwork, and paid fees. I met my mom and dad for lunch today as they were in Concord to see a doctor, and dad is going to be started on radiation therapy. I've been eating, haven't been journalling and have been kind of a mess, to be honest. So much has been going on.
But, tomorrow is my ww meeting and I am going. I think I might do a no weigh in pass as I think the scale would only depress me. I'm going to start over tomorrow and just figure this past 5 days or so is one of those times for me. I hate saying this to you all again, seems like I am always starting over, but at least I am not giving up - I'm truly not. Just took a bit of a diversion.
On top of this, my brother in law has been in remission for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and he had another biopsy done today and they think it's come back on him. Not a fun situation. One of my good friends was diagnosed with bone cancer (same kind my dad has) but in her spine the day before my dad last week. What is this? I feel like I am swimming in a "sea of cancer" and it's really not fun at all.
At least the new business is a positive thing for us, but stressful. Bad timing.
So, where does leave me, kind of an emotional wreck. It leads me to the refrigerator and dining establishments, which is not a good thing. I ate out a few times, I had french fries and ice cream. I just "crashed" and had all the stuff that I knew I shouldn't be having. Today was better, it's almost dinner time and I have not blown it as badly as I have since Friday, but it's not a letter perfect day, either.
BUT, having all these people around me with cancer is really something to think about. Do any of us want to be the ones with this next? Taking care of ourselves in terms of eating and exercising is so important, isn't it? Don't give up guys, I'm not giving up either. Lower that fat content, eat the frozen yoghurt instead of the ice cream, have mashed potatoes instead of fries. We all can do this, even if I didn't over the weekend. I have just got to gain control.
So, guys, I'm here. I've not had time to read all your posts from the last few days, so don't know where you all stand, but wanted to give a full update here. Forgive me for not keeping up. I know you all understand.
I did, at least, spend 20 minutes on the treadmill this morning. I really fought with myself before I did and I almost didnt do it. I even said to my husband "would you love me still is I was 300 pounds?". He raised his eyebrows and didn't answer me.... that alone sent me straight to the treadmill!
Trying again, and again, and again,
Linda
__________________

Sorry to hear about the worries with so many of the family members here on the thread. Blessings and good health to all. Sometimes I feel it's a not so gentle reminder to all of us not to take things for granted. It's so easy to get caught up in the insignificant things and ignore the stuff that really matters. So tomorrow focus on one thing that really matters in your life...

Hello all! I agree with many of you, that life throws us these curvbes to remind us to live, enjoy,each moment and not take each other and the blessings we do have for granted.

Here's to us!

Today was the first day of the "official" Couch-to-5k program. It went well. Calves were sore, which is to be expected. But I made it through.

Finally starting to feel almost like me again. Starting.

Have an interview with another recruiter tomorrow. Hopefully it will get me some work.

Good luck Raven!

I think the hard part about all these challenges we are facing is keeping ourselves in the present. I have this wonderful little baby who will be ONE next month and time is going by so quickly!! I want to enjoy him in the here and now. It's hard when other circumstances force you to live too much in the future. Weight loss is like that too. we imagine our new and improved selves while we are stuggling with the present "shape", and get frustrated when our goals are difficult and SLOW. Lets be happy with our progress today and tomorrow will be better!
Spending so much time with my mother and my husbands parents too make me worried about growing old. It's obvious with all 3 of them what has worked for them and what hasn't. Staying active is the most important I think. Use it or lose it. Including your brain.
Anyway. I read and article about sugar last night. Sugar has never been something I have worried much about. I still don't. BUT I didn't realize that one scoop of ice cream has 7 teaspoons of sugar!! Whoa! I'm still eating ice cream but that fact alone should keep me from pigging out on scoop 2 and 3.....
See ya later....

Good morning everyone. Just a quick post before I head to the gym. It is hard to feel motivated today. Yesterday was supposed to be a jogging day. However, I woke up to a cold rain - and I am not THAT devoted. I had set the alarm for later too, since I had worked the night before, and did not have time to hit the gym. This morning I am just sooooo tired. But I know I need to go.

On a good note, Justin got his stitches out last night, and the vet thinks all is looking good. Hurray! He is really moving well on three legs, and hopefully I can walk the two of them together soon.

I have been suffering from very frequent acid reflux again. I have been careful with the nighttime eating, so I know it is stress. I guess in large part what you said about living inthe present, Apple. I tend to worry so much about what I should have done, or what might happen, that I make myself have extra stress. I need to focus more on the now.

Enough for now. have a great day all :wave:

heh jolly, hope you feel better. really glad to hear justin is doing well. just wanted to jump in and say hi! :wave:

Heh. Jolly, my present causes me enough stress. Adding past and future would probably just make me keel over on the spot. ;)

Have that interview with the recruiter this morning. I keep thinking about her "dress professionally" comment, and mentally going over my lack of "professional" clothing. It just seems like we are judged so much more on our appearance than we are on our actual accomplishments and/or skills in this pathological society of ours. Put me and my 20 years of experience next to a young, slender, polished woman just out of school, and guess who gets the job? *sigh* Ohwell. There's that positive attitude of mine showing again! :D

Today after the interview I would like to do some pilates. I'm trying really hard not to focus on the scale. I just want to get into the habit of working out again. One thing at a time.

:lol: raven. "present causes me enough stress"!!! hear, hear!
oh, you bet, dressing is big. you've got to look the part, unless you have tons of money! then you can look any way you like! so, did you not get the job?

oh, raven, misread that, you still HAVE the interview. well, good luck! :crossed:

Hey all. Good morning, part two. Well, I did not, in fact, get my lazy rear to the gym. I am going to set the alarm a little later tomorrow ( I work tonight), and do the run I missed Tuesday. I WILL get it right. My dog is doing really well, Red. Thanks. I also emailed my missing friend again, and apologized again, and hope she will start speaking to me. We shall see.

Good luck with the interview, Raven. I hope you get what you are looking for.

Well, all I'm looking for now is some form of income to keep myself going so I can feed my kids, my horses, and keep training as a hoofcare specialist.

*shrug* It was just an interview with a recruiter, just the kind that make you feel horribly inadequate.

I'm so glad to hear Justin is doing better, Jolly.

Thanks Red .. how is YOUR present doing?

Good morning. I ate well for the past two days! Hurrah, Hurrah, ton of exercise Tuesday, just walking yesterday. Am going to learn to schedule in down days! You can do it, jolly. You are awewsome! Rave, ALWAYS focus on what you DID, what you CAN do, never on your inadequacies, except perhaps as a tiny mental note to sometime do some work in that area, if it is at all a factor. Remember, if you think of inadequacies your energy will be down and dull. Think of you at your best and THAT will come through, they don't have to know you're thinking about horses's hooves or something! You'll just carry yourself through well and that will win them over! Gotta run now. Try to write more later, I will. Ciao!

Hopefully it went better than you are feeling right now, Raven. My fingers (and toes, and eyes) are crossed. I had my legs crossed too, but then everyone thought I had to go to the bathroom. Hurrah for good days, Red. Hopefully I will be joining you in good days soon.

though, hey, I will report a NSV. We had a pot luck tonight at my part time job. I brought a ton of leftovers home. I was all set to have another generous helping of my dessert, when I was able to brush my teeth, pack up the dessert, and not indulge again.

Have a great day.

Hey there's nothing wrong with scheduling "down" time - you do need some time to recharge the batteries. The problem with most of us is that the down days last for days instead of the intended brief break.

I know myself I do well for days and then a little off plan and I hit the skids and it takes what seems like alot of fighting to get back on again.

Raven, just remember that recruiters expect you to drop your life and rush to their schedule and then they are only interested in you if they can make money off of you. So don't let them influence your moods or make you feel badly - most of them are scoundrels. And working for a living is a #@#(*%$$% as we all know too well. Good luck finding something to tide you through. Just don't give up.

Today's little victory was getting through all of my water. I had too much salt recently and I'm trying to flush it out of my system. I was adding a slice of fresh lemon to the water but then I got the most wretched stomach ache in the afternoon. Guess the acid in the lemon was a no no. Maybe I'll try a slice of orange tomorrow. I find that when it's not hot out - and we're in a bit of a cooler spell now, it's harder to get down all that water. And I did get my crunches in today. Little victories...

Hi everyone! I am here, but I am really in trouble with what I have eaten. I seem to do well in the mornings and then fall appart by afternoon.
I have to reach inside myself and pull out some strength to continue this. I stated this, I want to do this and finish - getting to my goal. But, who am I kidding when I go to a restaurant and order onion rings, which is exactly what I did last night.
I have no excuses, things are not going well but that really isn't an excuse to eat the things that I know are wrong.
Linda

Hey all. Sounds like many of us need to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe we should try another mini challenge (like the 4 days in a row of exercising we did recently?) Only make sure we each set a reward for ourselves, like flowers, a manicure, time for a tub soak with a new book (even if it is from the library) - something that will really treat ourselves - if we succeed. Any ideas? Should we set the same challlenge for all of us, or each give ourselves an individual goal for, say, a week? Or, since May is coming up, set a challenge for the month of May? Ideas, anyone?

Happy, I find that in the warmer months, if I take a water bottle, fill it half full (lid off), and freeze it overnight, then fill it up with water in the morning, I have ice cold water all day, and am more likely to drink it. Helps for me. Derry, be kind to yourself. Accept the stresses you have in your life right now. Acknowledge that this is going to be a difficult time for you. Bad choices are just bad choices. Take one choice at a time, and don't dwell.

On a (small) good note, I did do my run this morning. One step at a time, right?

Have a great day all.

I had two bowls of junky cereal at 11:00 last night. And I've been trying to pay attention to sugar. :lol: Oh well, no harm done. Won't have time for a walk today so I'm going to try my best to do my 15 minutes of exercise video tonight. And some sit ups. I think that will be my mini challenge-beer and sit-ups. 60 sit ups every day and 60 more if I have a beer. Which I won't because like I said, there is no beer in the house.... :p
I'm tempted to go out for dinner tonight because my daughter has dance reheasal at 6:00 which would make preparing dinner hard. Hmmm...
I will post again tonight with my successful day of wise food choices and exercise...

Wow, go awol a few days and the posting busts loose!

A mini challenge sounds great. What sort did you have in mind, jolly?

Today has been a bust for me eatingwise. :( I found myself chomping on a honeybun this morning. So not good. *sigh* Guess I'll just have to work harder tonight at karate..

Anyway, I hope this finds ya'll well. I'm off to check the grill. We finally bought a new one after our old gas grill kicked the bucket. So, we're breaking it in and Q'ing tonight. The chicken'll be healthy, and I'm really looking forward to it Unfortunately, I can't eat before class because I get too hot and tend to feel sick if I've eaten. And I don't get home until after 8-- which is really too late to eat. *blergh*

Take care all,

Good morning all.
I notched another good day yesterday. Exercise, work, eating well, bit of enjoyment (reading a book). The biggest thing for me is the eating, I've realized. Even when I'd been staying away from sugar and/or other junk, I find I'm not making the time to actually cook and that means I'm not getting enough vitamins and minerals in me, just calories. It makes ALL the difference when I cook I have found. I do not want to keep grazing, even if it's on relatively healthy foods like fruit or nuts. For the last two days I've cooked up fresh vegetables (green pepper, tomato, shiitake mushrooms, onion, fresh spinach) in olive oil with an array of Italian spices, (garlic --later will use fresh, marjoram, oregano, parsley, basil), mixed it with a storebough sphaghetti sauce and had that over wholewheat spaghetti. Yum! It's simple and you can throw in whatever vegetables happen to be cheap.
Last night I did similar to have over brown rice today at work (I put things in ziplocs and freeze them to take in). I made a lenti-based stew with pumpkin (was on sale! these are small Japanese-style pumpkins but they taste the same as the big ones) with onion, spinach (using it up), asparagus (also on sale!), boiled all that together till everything was soft along with white and regular pepper, lots of thyme and a touch of marjoram. (I love using all sorts of spices) and it is good! I had a taste while I was packaging it and I am looking forward to lunch today! Doing this and knowing I'm going to have something yummy to look forward to means I can "wait!" and not graze, graze, nibble, nibble. So, that's my report. Sorry for the detail but I thought it could be of some help for someone.

Tanzie -- hope your barbeque was fun. But, were you able to eat at all, having to go to your class? How long have you been doing karate? Stay away from those honeybuns! They are packed with empty calories and just plain old calories! I used to walk 90 minutes to work (fast!) every morning and afterward I'd have a danish. The weight didn't budge. Then I stopped eating that danish and I lost weight. Guess, just when I could have been eating away at the fat stores I was filling up with instantly accessible sugar and white flour so my body didn't have to touch the reserves! I see you're in Mississippi. Never been there myself. How is it? Have you been there all your life?

Apple -- junky cereal, huh?! that used to be my downfall, well, one of them. Keep the beer out of the house! I am cutting it out as well until I start seeing some major changes (downward!) in my body. I haven't been drinking at home for years but the afterwork guzzling has become an all-too-common occurrence these days, expensive, calorie-packed and ruins the next day. And, don't mean to be tough here, Apple, but 60 situps probably burns just a mouthful of beer, unless you're doing them just as punishment! :lol: Be careful, the alcohol goes right to your midsection! I know!!

jolly -- a challenge might be nice. I think the goals will have to be individual though or at least something general so that we can tailor them. Hmm. I can think of a few for myself. What about something from now until May? Then do something else for may, too? Anything, really. Your water idea is good. I do the same in the sweltering summer months here though I have absolutely no problem guzzling water. I am losing tons of it in sweat. At work, I will put a 2-liter bottle in the freezer and take it out (when I don't forget!) just when it's slushy and drink that. I love it! Some people say it's bad for your stomach but mine must be like iron! No prob! Good for you for running. That's not a small step. It's big, I think. I like your advice to Derry and, as always, I love your humor (earlier post). Best of luck.

Derry -- You're right. We have these goals and we have to get to them. Too many excuses are no good. Yes, life is very tough for you now. You ARE doing well in the morning, though, right? I would try to look at the whole day though. Onion rings may not be such a bad thing at all if you've been eating well and exercising at other times. Think of your day as a work of art. A bit of indulgence can enhance the picture. Don't focus on that and think it mars the entire look. You may be being too hard on yourself. Like jolly says, too, these are hard times for you and you could be doing soooo much worse so tailor your goals to the times and see if you can't go from there. I find that when I set my sights a little lower than normal I feel freer to try harder, because I don't have to. Like, when I put the pedometer on and say, OK, 10,000 steps, I'm more likely to make it 12 or 14 thou easily. But if I would strap it on and say, go for 15,000 I'd likely not make it or make it and then not do anything the next day. Hang in there. You still well less than I do!

Red, congrats on the good going day yesterday. Your food sounded great and thanks for the particulars. I'm always looking for suggestions and ideas. I have to start learning how to cook with pumpkin - I've seen alot of great recipes. Trouble is, we only get it here fresh in October around halloween. I suppose I could do the canned stuff but it's just not the same and I try to do fresh as much as possible so I can control the salt and sugar, etc.

Derry, I know that it's hard to resist the food given the current situation and so easy to fall into bad patterns right now. So how about if you have to order onion rings, only eat half of them and divy them up as soon as the waitress brings them. If you had one bad item for the day, that's the limit so it will make you think about whether you really wanted whatever at the moment. Hang in there. Be healthy for those around you that need you!

So how was dinner on the grill Tanzie? My favorite kind of cooking. Apple - junky cereal, eh? I had to laugh when I took a close look at the boxes and noticed they removed the word "Sugar" from some of the old standards - like Sugar Pops are now Corn Pops and I'm not even sure what they call Sugar Crisp any more. Like changing the name changed the calorie content. But boy oh boy - could I scarf down a bowl of Sugar Pops right now. :lol: Good thing they aren't in the house and tho there might be a box lurking in the cabinet, I'm not going to check!

Jolly, I can't tell you how many bottles I froze forgetting I put them in the freezer. But yours is a good idea. I myself like the mini challenge idea as short term committement is the best i can handle at the moment. And that's precisely what I'm doing - a week's worth of getting my water in which means water at dinner too. Reinforce the good stuff, undo the bad habits. I am always open for a good challenge tho...

OK. So start with a challenge, say starting Monday until the end of April? I know I need a little time to figure out which of my problem areas I want to focus on first. And what reward I will give myself for succeeding. Hmmmmm. Lets see . . .

I am (hopefully) off to the gym. Have a great day all.

Hi guys, ah, heck, didn't go so well today. Going into the office always does that for me. I had too much junk! :cry: But, I did have that nice lunch and it did make me feel very well fed! And, I did walk a lot so I guess it wasn't all lost. Still. . .if I just hadn't eaten so much maybe I would see some progress.... :ziplip: oh, when will I get it all together. . . :shrug:

Happy, pumpkin here is more or less around all year so it is a possibility. The only thing is that pumpkin is a warming food and really heats you up. I don't think I could eat in the summer when it's just tooooo hot! That said, you probably don't live in such a hot place, well, Tenn. is pretty hot, but I doubt like Tokyo. Anyhow, I think you should try the canned pumpkin. It may be better than you think. Do they have any frozen pumpkin? They do here but . . . :sumo: OK, good going on your water challenge. Whatever it is you need to work on, that's a challenge for you. Good luck. :yes:

Jolly, I'll join you of course. Have to think too what I'll do. :chin:

:bubbles:

I have decided that there are so many things that I need to work on, I am just going to give myself a huge kick in the rear, and say my goal is to lose 4 pounds by the end of the month. I can do this. Then, I can look at individual behaviors I want to change or improve for May. My reward if I lose the pounds will be . . . flowers. I haven't bought myself flowers in awhile, so that would be a nice treat.

Have a great day all.

Hey all. just posting quick so we don't get buried on the next page. Hope everyone is having a good day. Enjoy the weekend!

A little bright spot finally for me. I got a call from the agency today and I start a temp to perm job on Monday. The pay is *really* low, but like I told them, any money is better than no money. It will pay my horse feed, pay for my kids feed ;) and get me more hoof care training. Really, that's about all I care about right now.

Started my period this morning, and between the stress, anxiety, and that - I'm whipped. I didn't run today or yesterday, so I guess I need to pick up the ball I've dropped and run tomorrow.

V designed my new business cards for me, and I printed them out today. I'll start distributing them ASAP. I figure I need 20 horses a week before I can quit and make the same amount I'd be making at this job. I've attached the card layout.. I think she did a really good job.

So my challenge to myself? *chuckle* Honestly I think just putting one foot in front of the other for the last couple months has been enough of a challenge for me. Right now I just want to see if I can get through my running three times a week and that's enough.

I hope everyone is having a great night.

Looks great, Rave. Heh to V. Best of luck!

Ok chickies, the sun is shining, I got up early (8am on a weekend IS early for me) :yawn: :lol: and there's alot to do and be done. I'm feeling pumped. Last weekend I had an excess of salt and it took all week and alot of water to get all that bloat out. Even just 2 pounds makes a big difference.

I have a long list of things that I will get done this weekend, most definitely. Next Friday I'm flying back to pick up my mom and bring her back here for a week. Will spend the weekend there and I already admit that I will SIN with pizza :devil: There's no place like Chicago for pizza. :T So I will have to work extra hard this week to earn that pizza.

A good weekend to all, get busy, drink your water, eat well and feel good about yourselves...

:bravo:

And I love the business card Raven, your daughter is REALLY REALLY talented - she should look into doing web designs.

Hey girls!

Just a quick note before the weekend completely swallows me up.

Red- The chicken was really good. I'd been craving it for ages and it lived up to what I was pine'in after. I actually didn't get to eat any until almost 9 pm. I know eating so late is awful for you, but I only had the meat, so I don't feel quite so bad about it. I've been taking Shotokan for 2 years, and I love it. It's good for taking out my aggressions and otherwise working off some steam. Not to mention the fact that it works my butt off. I'm a lot more confident now than when I started. As for Mississippi, I love it. The pace of life here is much slower than the other states I've lived. We live in the middle of 40 acres. I was born here, then moved off with my hubby after he finished school. We moved back about 3 years ago, due to family illness (His father had ALS.). Hubby works out of an office we had built over the barn. The Internet is a wonderful thing. :D

happy-- I can totally see what you're saying about the cereal. My favorite is 'Captain Crunch'. I could eat a whole box of that stuff! I haven't let myself buy any in ages though. It's not just the fact that I eat it. It's the fact that by the time I get a bowl, and the kids get some, the box is pretty much wiped out. And cereal is expensive!

jolly-- I'm seriously contemplating what my mini-challenge will be... There are so many things I need to work on. The 4 lbs by May thing sounds great. How'd the trip to the gym go?

raven-- Congrats on the job! I know that it's a load off you're shoulders. You're training to be a farrier? Or something more specialized? Have you been apprenticing? or taking courses? I'm not too knowledgeable about the process.. I know there are schools.... Anyway, too bad you aren't closer
we have 2 pasos, a walker and an appy, that all need their feet worked on. Dh trims them himself, but he doesn't really have the time to keep them up the way I'd like them to be..

Take care!

Heyos folks... :)

Happy, thank you so much. V does seem to have that artistic, imaginative twist to her. God knows where she got it from, certainly not her father or me! And the sun! Yes!! Finally it's sunny and warm and ... *closes eyes in bliss* :D A week with mom sounds absolutely heavenly. I hope you enjoy it.

Tanzie - My kids and I did TKD for about 2 years. We loved it, but the school closed, we moved, and I just haven't found any instructors over here who could measure up. Plus I think my son would enjoy aikido more. My daughter and I have tossed around going into kickboxing more than once - but that takes a gym membership around here, and I can't afford that. I am enrolled in a certification program through the AANHCP (American Association of Natural Hoofcare Practitioners), but my training got a bit stalled when the money went away. I've been doing my own horses for about a year now. I've studied with Jaime Jackson and Cindy Sullivan, and I hope to be able to mentor with Pete Ramey and a few other folks this year. I need to get my Practitioner in Training status before they'll put me on their site, and I won't be able to do that till after I can complete the hoof anatomy test - since the classes are full till September, that's the soonest I can get listed by the Association. I'm a huge advocate of barefooting, especially after I've seen the amazing changes in our appendix mare, not just her feet, but her whole body. I suppose it makes sense, in people if our feet and legs are messed up, we feel pain in so many places. Why wouldn't a horse? Anyway.. I don't mean to rant. :D I just have found my passion, and it's hard not to go on and on about it. I'm very much the odd man out just about wherever I go, between my barefooting and the conditioned response training we do. People think we're loons. *sigh* But we're loons who love our horses!!!

I've been thinking about starting a thread for horse people trying to lose weight so we can all ramble on about our equines without putting the other people on the thread to sleep. :D

Anyway.. today is my son's BD celebration. His birthday is officially Monday, and since I'm going to be working then, we figured we'd just do it today. I'm making a peanut butter and chocolate cake, my boyfriend is treating us out to dinner at our favorite mexican dive, and he has some presents to open from his Dad. I had absolutely no money with which to buy presents, but I told him as soon as I get my first paycheck (two weeks) I'd buy him something cool. Thank goodness he's fine with that. I'm not fine with it... I feel like such a loser sometimes, but .. what can I do, yaknow? So I guess the upshot of all of this is .. I blew off today and spent it lollygagging around with my daughter and the horses. It was so beautiful and being able to groom them out (Arashi is STILL a phoofball of fuzz! Poohead) and V just hopped up on Shadow - no bridle, halter, saddle, anything... just .. hop up and hang out - it was just very peaceful. And sweet little Princess Eve. What a doll that horse is. I just love her to pieces. Yeah. So .. I'll run tomorrow. *nod nod* :D :D :D

Hi all. I just got back from the horse fair. Was able to find the things I wanted to get there, stay (pretty much) within my budget, not go too crazy on the food (had a chili cheese baked potato and some sugar roasted almonds - this is great compared to all the food offerings they have), did not spend on stuff that wasn't on the list, and even managed to bypass some chocolate on the way home. A good day.

I bought some new running shoes too. They are supposed to be great motion control. I will try in the morning. I was going to run this morning, but had a very sore ankly. I figured all the walking today was good exercise.

Raven, CONGRATS on the job. At least it will see you through until you can get that certification. I like the business cards too.

Everyone, have a super weekend and enjoy the weather!

Good morning, hi to all. Glad to see some action here. Thanks, jolly, for keeping the thread bumped up with your quickies! I had a good day yesterday with exercise and a somewhat good one eating. I am tired and I think it's mostly from the increase in exercise that I am forcing onto my body. Hurrah! My legs are being more cooperative (they were going numb and that is the main reason I was blowing off the cardio). Last year in September they were bad. Now, not so. They feel light again and that makes me want to walk and jog. I am on that coolrunning program (don't know if it was Raven or jolly who first mentioned it, I read it on Raven's post, just want to give credit where due) and finished the first wee of the couch to 5K program. Rave, are you posting on that? I'm freefall59 on that site. Today is a big race I have to/want to go to so I blew off work yesterday and went riding (normally I'd ride today). Rode alone and it was so much nicer. I can communicate with the horse more and feel she doesn't resent the demands like she does when I'm in a lesson, which is like a drill sergeant, my teacher, that is.

Well, don't know about any immediate goal til May. I will start one though tomorrow so hold me accountable, kay guys?!

As for a bigger one, I'm off the white sugar again and alcohol too! until I get under 70 kg. My weight keeps creeping up and it disgusts me and though I didn't lose anything off sugar for Lent I don't care. The nights out with the guys constitute a ton of calories from beer and that certainly didn't help, although they weren't all that often. But I'm thinking, NO! how can I sit here "rewarding" myself, indulging myself with sugar and alcohol (even if I were to keep the calories low) and feel like I'm at all deserving. Sorry, honey, the crap is getting cut til you shape up! So, NO sugar, no alcohol until the scale dips under 70. Right now, it's about a whopping 75 so that's a good 12 lbs! Cut the crap! This is my slogan from here on out to 70!


jolly -- glad to hear the horse fair was fun and you didn't pig out. great chocolate save too. Nice on the new shoes too. Are you doing the coolrunning thing?

Raven -- you loon, you! Yeah, you may be a loon (all is relative! ;) ) but you ain't no loser, so no sense feeling that way. Presents, come on, your kid should be happy to see you happy and I'm sure he is. He's not a child, right and presents, really, are for children or when you have an excess of cash and nowhere to go with it! I'm sure anyone in his or her right mind understands that. He does, do you!? Hope you had fun on the birthday celebration day, don't overdo with that cake. Mexican sounds fun.

Tanzie -- how are you? Glad the chicken was good and you're enjoying your karate. 40 acres, wow, sounds like paradise, four horses was it? Do you have an arena or ring? Do you ride Western?

happy -- good to hear you're feeling pumped! Yeah! :sunny: Chicago, never been there, but I hear the pizza is great. That's the deep-dish kind, right? Hope you enjoy your stay with your mother. Good luck with your list. Take care and work for that pizza!

Hey all. Raven, hope the dinner went well. You are not a loser - except for losing weight that is. You spend quality time iwth your kids. YOu give of yourself. And I am sure they understand the situation right now. I am glad you had time to spend with your daughter and hte horses yesterday.

I did not get a chance ot try out my new shoes yet. I woke up this morning still sore from all the walking yesterday. I will do it Tuesday morning though. next scheduled day. I am not doing the coolrunning program. I am doing an old "10 weeks to your first 5k" program from Runner's World. Did it several years ago, and was actually able to do two 5k races.

Have a great day all.